352 DIPLOMATIC CORRESPONDENCE. 



Mr. Blaine to Sir Julian Pauncefote. 



17 Madison Place, 

 W(hshinf/ton, February 12, 1892. 

 My Dear Sir Julian: The motive you Lave always urged ui)oii 

 me for assembling the Commissioners on seal fisheries at an early date 

 was that they eould provide a modus vivendi that would be sufficient, 

 while the Arbitration should go on with plenty of time to consider the 

 various points. 



I was surprised to hear that your Commissioners yesterday declined 

 to discuss the modus vivendi, on the allegation that that was a subject 

 reserved tor you and me. This puts an entirely new phase upon the 

 work of the Commission and largely diminishes its value. Will you 

 have the goodness to advise me of tlie x)recise scope of the work which 

 you assigned to your Commissioners'? 

 Very truly, yours, 



Jamies G. Blaine. 



Sir Julian Pauncefote to Mr. Blaine. 



British Legation, 



Washington, 13 Fehruary, 1892. 



Dear Mr. Blaine : In reply to your letter of yesterday, I beg to state 

 that in my oi)inion the British Commissioners are right in holding that 

 they have no power under their present mandate to discuss the ques- 

 tion of a modus vivendi for the next fishery season. Their authority 

 is limited by the terms of the Joint Commission agreement which we 

 signed on the 18th of December last. 



That authority is confined to reporting their views on what fishery 

 regulations of a permanent character may be necessary with a view to 

 arbitration. The question of a modus vivendi, pending the result of the 

 Arbitration, is one for the two Governments to discuss. I have cer- 

 tainly urged, as an additional reason for the early meeting of the Joint 

 Commission, that its reports would furnish valuable nmterials for such 

 discussion; but it can hardly be contended that the Commissioners can 

 properly deal with such a question without special authority from their 

 respective Governments. 



I communicated to Lord Salisbury the proposal you made to me at 

 onr interview of the 2d instant that our two Governments should agree 

 to a modus vivendi, and I am awaiting his lordship's reply. 

 1 remain, etc., 



Julian Pauncefote. 



Sir Julian Pauncefote to Mr. Blaine. 



British Legation, 



Washington, February 13, 1892. 



Sir: With reference to your note of the 1th instant inclosing a copy 



of the draft of the proposed Behring Sea Arbitration convention, I have 



tlie honor to inform you that, as previously arranged between us, I trans- 



uiitted a copy of the draft by the mail of the Gth instant to the Marquis 



